In her 2024–2029 political guidelines, President von der Leyen announced a revision of the public procurement directives. The revision will strengthen preference for European products, modernise and simplify procurement rules, and make public procurement a tool for strategic investment, as set out in the One Europe One Market roadmap.
Public Procurement was better framed in successive EU regulations and, with a view to more accessible and transparent access to it, the procedures were formulated in a more supportive manner. Its importance will continue to increase, both at a national level in the Member States and at a more local level.
Several challenges remain Particularly at the national level, the size and volume play to the advantage of larger companies that can rely on experience and expertise when drawing up files. At a more local level, there are opportunities for MSMEs and, even more specifically, for companies in the social economy. These opportunities require active attention and guidance from both the requesting and offering parties.
Corruption and the lack of rule of law undermine the mutual trust that is underpinning the internal market. The EESC believes that efforts to fight corruption should be better aligned with efforts to safeguard and develop democracy in the EU. Moreover, the EESC stresses that the EU must prioritise evaluating the legislative framework on the integrity of public procurement and its implementation in practice and believes that the cross-debarment system could be useful for protecting the internal market from misuse of public resources allocated to tenders.
Download — EESK atzinums: Corruption in public procurement and its impact on the internal market
This opinion examines how European legislation on circular public procurement can combine the main purpose of the contract with environmental protection, greater attention to SMEs, sustainable local production and the protection of social rights. This can be achieved by seeking and favouring solutions with a lower impact on the environment throughout their lifespan.
The European Commission’s ‘Green Deal’ proposes to use public procurement as a tool to meet the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. Such ‘green public procurement’ is necessary to move toward a carbon-neutral society. However, the Commission omits that public procurement which makes up to 11% of GDP can be a tool for a fairer, more equitable society and can produce sustainable growth. At present, the ‘green public procurement’ and social considerations are discussed in different DGs. An opinion by the EESC-CCMI could bring social and ecological considerations in regards to public procurement together.
Download — EESK atzinums: Public procurement as a tool to create value and dignity in work in cleaning and facility services (own-initiative opinion)
The Communication presents a public procurement strategy which sets out the overall policy framework and defines clear priorities to improve procurement in practice and support investment within the EU. Three concrete initiatives are presented alongside this strategy. The Commission presents a Communication on a mechanism for large infrastructure projects to provide clarity and guidance to public authorities on public procurement. It also proposes a Recommendation to professionalise public buyers because a skilful workforce is essential for effective implementation. In parallel, a targeted consultation is launched on a draft guidance on public procurement of innovation, to support the breakthrough of new and more sustainable solutions for our societies.
Download — EESK atzinums: Public procurement package
The proposal on an International Procurement Instrument (IPI) is the EU response to the lack of a level playing field in world procurement markets. While our public procurement market is open to foreign bidders, the procurement markets for foreign goods and services in third countries remain to a large extent closed de iure or de facto. The IPI aims at encouraging partners to engage in negotiations and opening participation for EU bidders and goods in third countries' tenders. A first proposal on this issue was made in 2012 (COM(2012) 124 final) but there was no agreement in the Council. The new Commission proposal incorporates some of the changes requested from the European Parliament and tries to reply to some of the concerns expressed in the Council. A number of Member States have expressed reservations as regards the principle of closing the EU market for goods and services originating in certain third countries, even if only temporarily and in a targeted way.
Download — EESK atzinums: Access of third country goods and services to the European Union's internal market in public procurement
